When I first decided to blog, I knew I did not want to focus on my disease but then something wonderful recently happened. More on that in a minute…
I have alopecia totalis, hence the bald head. Alopecia is a skin condition in which my immune system attacks my hair follicles, mistaking them for foreign. It started out as alopecia areata, hair loss in small patches, then I would get needles in my head with a cortisone to make it come back. To make a long story short, after years of getting this done I got tired of it, so one day I shaved it all off knowing that without the shots it wouldn’t grow back. It also spread to my legs (a blessing in disguise), eyebrows and eyelashes. The summer before I moved to Qatar I had microblading done for my eyebrows. They’re like tattoos. Learn more about alopecia by clicking here. There is even a national agency, National Alopecia Areata Foundation. To learn more about microblading, click here. I also have a Facebook group called ‘Women Living with Alopecia‘. It is a support group for women like me.
…on to the something wonderful that recently happened. A little over a week ago I happened upon an article on Dohanews, about a women here in Qatar who does henna on bald heads for free, for women who have suffered hair loss from cancer. You can read it by clicking here. I contacted her and asked would she do the same for a women living with alopecia. Her answer was a resounding “YES!” Then she asked me if I’d be willing to do a photoshoot. And my answer was “YES, of course.” [In my former life, when I was taller, I dreamed of being a model, so I was super excited.] It took less than a day for her to set up a Whatsapp group between me, herself, a make-up artist and the photographer and two days later they were all at my flat. For a day I felt like a runway model and didn’t I look like one.
All three of these lovely Sri Lankan women provided their services to me free of charge. They have renewed my faith in the good in people. I feel so blessed. Thank you Nazma, Lucky and Nadeesha with all my heart!
Henna by Nazma Mazhar. https://www.facebook.com/qatarihennastudio/ http://instagram.com/qatarihennastudio
Makeup by Lucky Allure https://www.facebook.com/luckyallure1/
Photography by Nadeesha Rathnayake http://www.instagram.com/nadrat_photos
Even almost a week later, my henna is still beautiful. [unedited picture below]
I have a brief interview coming up on a Qatar TV show in a week focusing on “People of Qatar”. I plan to rock my bald head with a henna crown, thanks to Nazma, and speak about my activism. And for all my fellow women living with alopecia, I leave you with this quote.
Don’t ever let your imperfections make you weak, instead use them to give you strength!˜Me
Teaching Abroad- American Teacher Overseas 